Load lowering device

Claim 1

A load lowering device comprising: (a) a housing; (b) interconnecting means for removably interconnecting said housing to a rigid support member; (c) an axle extending transversely of said housing; (d) a hollow drum mounted for rotation within said housing about said axle; (e) a length of cable adapted to be uniformly wound about said drum upon rotation of said drum in a first direction and adapted to be paid out from said drum upon rotation of said drum in a second, opposite direction; said cable having an inner end disposed within said housing and having a free outer end; (f) cable rewind means operably associated with said drum for yieldably resisting rotation of said drum in said second direction when said cable is paid out from said drum, said means being adapted to cause rotation of said drum in said first direction upon said cable being substantially paid out thereby causing said cable to be rewound upon said drum; (g) guide means associated with said housing for guiding the travel of said cable with respect to said drum as said cable is rewound thereupon; (h) braking means carried within said drum adapted to yieldably resist rotation of said drum in said second direction to control the rate at which said cable is unwound from said drum, said braking means comprising: (1) an internally toothed, annular shaped gear ring affixed to the inner surface of said hollow drum; (2) a first support disposed within said hollow drum and affixed to said axle; (3) at least one first planet gear rotatably carried by said first support and being adapted to engage said gear ring and be driven thereby as said drum rotates; p2 (4) an externally toothed first sun wheel rotatably carried by said axle and adapted to engage and be rotatably driven by said first planet gear; (5) a second support rotatably carried by said axle within said hollow drum and affixed to said sun wheel for rotation therewith; (6) at least one second planet gear rotatably carried by said second support and being adapted to engage said ring gear and be driven thereby as said drum rotates; (7) an externally toothed second sun wheel rotatably carried by said axle and adapted to engage and be rotatably driven by said second planet gear; (8) a governor mechanism rotatably carried by said axle and operably associated with said second sun wheel; and (9) braking elements associated with said governor mechanism for actuation thereby upon rotation of said drum to bring said elements into pressural engagement with a braking surface provided internally of said drum; and (i) load connecting means associated with said outer end of said cable for connecting said cable to the load to be lowered, said means including cushioning means for cushioning the impact forces imparted to said cable due to a limited free fall of the load with respect to the outer end of said cable subsequent to the interconnection of the load connecting means with the load.